Submission (#2344) Approved

Deep violet eyes widened in awe as the mushrooms seemed to only get taller the farther in Kaori and her family traveled into the Deep Forest. The shimmering colors and glowing motes of fireflies lead the way along the bumpy roads they had been on for a few days now. “Are we almost there papa?” Her voice was soft, almost bell-like, as she sat back down in the cart, her eyes staring at twinkling stars and deep plume colored skies. “Almost.” his reassuring voice chuckled back to her, filling her with fresh excitement. 

They traveled often but the last time her parents had been in this region they we’re just kittoms themselves and they had seemed excited to bring their own children along this year to it’s glowing coastline. Though the white and pastel painted kittom had heard many stories about the forever night that was Silveil it felt so different to be able to look up and see sparkling night skies for several days now. 

As the caravan continued on, Kaori playfully pawed at her sibling beside her, Valentien seeming to fall asleep along the way yet again. “Hey! Wake up, papa says we’re almost there.” her voice urged her brother awake but he seemed to simply roll away from her, his heart shaped markings glowing in the dim light of the inside of the cart. “Vale!” she whispered a bit harsher now, using two paws to nudge at his back but it yielded no results. “You're only sleeping because you're bored.” with a pout she fell back on her hind legs, her swirled multi-colored tiny tail swishing back and forth with a tinge of frustration behind her. 

It was up to him if he missed the shimmering coast that her parents had talked about so much the whole way. 

Just as she opened her muzzle to taunt her brother once more, she felt the cart coming to a slow stop, her mothers voice reaching her from the front. “Here we are! Wake up children.” The cheerful tone of her mom was all it took for Kaori to leap up, stretching a bit before rushing for the back of the cart as fast as her paws could carry her. Like usual, her mothers large purple and pink hued form came into view as the cart's curtain raised open, a sweet smile to greet the little kittom. “Does it really glow? Will we catch anything?” the small kittom asked, letting her mother pluck her up by her scruff before setting her down on the cool road they had stopped on. “Your father thinks so.” Velia chipped back, already leaping into the cart to grab Valentine from his slumber. 

The boy was always so much trouble when he wanted to be. 

Ignoring the grumble of her brother and some quick whispering between her mom and sibling, Kaori peaked around the cart to see her fathers dark pink and black fur moving around near the front of the caravan. Soon, the heavy sound of a pack hit the ground and she tensed, flicking her ears back before seeing her father leap down after it and his long silk black tail trailing behind him. “Let’s get going everyone!” Tai called for them all, the sound of adventure already filling his tone as he smiled down at Kaori who had trotted over. “Have you fished here before? I thought most people fished closer to town?” She had so many questions but she was eager to go no matter his answer. 

“All the good fish are over here, I promise.” the older Elnin nodded towards the edge of the tall sprouted mushrooms and started the rest of the trek on foot. Small as she was, Kaori tried her best to keep up, sometimes getting distracted by sparkling lights or flowers that smelled so much sweeter than the ones back home. Of course, with her mother and Valentine holding the back of the small parade, she never got to stop for very long. Kaori couldn’t even imagine that her parents once traveled the lands all alone when they were her age, she couldn’t fathom being so far from them--not yet anyway. The urge to travel just a bit out of sight grew each day but right now every day with them was better than the adventure that awaited her whenever she was ready. 

Cool paths and tall winding trees eventually gave away as a large expanse of shimmering water came into view as the family broke through the forest. Even Valentine, who had been mostly complaining about the long walk, let out an excited gasp next to his sister once the two young kittoms could fully see the Star Lake before them. Lights danced just under the surface as if taunting them to come closer to join the others already taking part. A few Elnin off in the distance here and there already pulling nets up or nestled under stray mushrooms as they quietly let the fishing pole do all the work.

“It’s so pretty!” Kaori nearly shrieked, dashing forward and hearing the quick paws of her brother behind her, never willing to lose even a sudden spontaneous race with her. “I’ll get there first and catch the biggest thing!” he urged behind her, the two keeping close as they leapt and jumped over small rocks or other supplies others had left about. It wasn’t nearly as crowded as some of the beaches must have been for the season but enough to slow them down just enough to keep an eye on. Eventually, Kaori skidded to a stop in the sands, nearly falling into the shallow waters with a delighted laugh. Behind her, her brother seemed like he was nowhere close to stopping and instead zoomed right past, leaping into the sparkling water and splashing Kaori with a triumphant laugh. 

With a squeal, she covered her face as quickly as she could but paws we’re no match for the kittom sized wave and she soon found herself damp enough to be a bother as water dripped from her ears. Valentine sat there in the shallow end with one large soaked ear covering an eye, smirking as his father handed him a fishing rod of his own. “I went the farthest, I win.'' The boy was smug, taking the pole and turning around to start this small competition he had started with himself more than his sister really. 

“You’ll dry.” Tai teased, handing Kaori her rod as well and nuding her a bit over so he could instruct Valentine on how to fish properly--not just throwing the line wherever he saw a fish swimming by. 

Shaking off some water, she was already impatient on waiting for someone to guide her. She glanced both ways before spotting a small collection of rocks where the glowing waves we’re playfully splashing against the smooth rocks. Surely there might be some fish hiding there? Peeking towards her parents, she placed her fishing pole sideways into her mouth and began to trot happily in that direction over the soft sands and eventually reached the small perch of rocks that formed a nice tide pool below. It wasn't very deep it seemed as Kaori glanced carefully over the side, watching the swishing of fins and spotted fish moving to and from. 

Feeling like it would do, she climbed higher onto the rocks, careful with her footing until she was able to sit down comfortably. Satisfied, she carefully moved her rod to hold it between her paws like her brother had been shown. Her eyes of violets flicked down the shore to her family and back towards her own spot, thinking she had mimicked the movements enough as she reeled back and watched the silver line glint in the air before sinking down into the water. Kaori gasped as the fish scattered, ducking behind rocks and some flowing out back into the lake with it’s glowing motes. She had startled them with the sudden movement and in fear to scare them again, she found herself sitting so carefully still, holding her breath for what seemed like forever but the fish didn’t swim back. 

Unable to hold her breath much longer, she let it out and pouted, her hair floating carelessly around her forehead as she used one paw to try and push the unruly hair away. “Just one….” she murmured, hearing excitement down the beach as her brother seemed to be reeling something in. She looked that way, watching Valentine getting pulled down into the water as some fish tried to run away with his rod. The soft colored kittom couldn’t help but laugh at the sight as her sibling chased after it through the shallow waters, her parents seeming amused at the sight as well.

As entertained as she was, the sudden tug on her own rod caused Kaori to tense and grip the fishing rod in her paws to ensure she didn’t go falling into the tide pool herself. Gazing down she saw a few fish swimming back into the pool, already forgetting why they left and there it was among them--one had dared try to snatch the glittering little ball at the end of the line. Taking a deep breath as the fish tugged again, this time much harder, she tugged back and was a bit surprised by the weight. It didn’t look that big! It was heavier then it seemed however as she panicked and used all her weight to do the only thing she could thnk of. 

With all her meight, she held on to the rod and fell backwards onto the sand and gave a tiny grunt as she hit the soft sands, her eyes watching the fish come soaring out of the tide pool and onto the sands with her. The dark night above shone light enough for her to see it as she eagerly pounced it with pride. “I caught one!” she exclaimed happily, probably scaring away a few more fish from other Elnin fishing here as well but she thought nothing of it. Her parents glanced her way, Tai laughing with a tilt of his head as Vealia come rushing towards her daughter with a board smile. “So you did. Before your brother at that!” Kaori beamed happily, the fish still flopping around as she tried her best to hold it down. 

Within minutes, her father was beside her as well, picking up her catch and dropping it in a bucket with a starfish nod. “Good job Kaori, maybe you can teach Valentine how to fish as well.” Tai seemed amused, side glancing his son as he nudged the now grumpy looking big eared boy. “Sure! Look at the pool I found.” Kaori turned her head back towards her little perch, excited to show it off as her family surrounded it and tossed their own rods in. 

After just a few hours, they had filled the bucket her father had brought over and now they sat around a small fire to keep warm. Snuggled against her moms fluff, she listened to her fathers story about another trip to the glowing waters of the shore, slowly closing her eyes and laying her head against her brother who grumbled but didn’t bother to move her. It had been a fun day and tomorrow they’d be back in the caravan, traveling once more.